This black bean sweet potato soup is hearty, a little spicy and totally delicious! Made with some simple ingredients, this comforting soup will satisfy your taste buds and warm your belly! Top with an avocado lime creama for one extra special treat!
Hi friends!
Today I’m sharing one of my favourite bean soup recipes (a spicy black bean and sweet potato soup)!
There’s nothing fancy here, far from it.
It’s made with mostly (budget-friendly) pantry ingredients and comes together quickly. Plus, it tastes so yummy!!
There’s some smoky heat here from chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, as well as fresh jalapeno. I don’t know about you, but I love a little spice. We always have canned chipotle peppers on hand because they add so much flavour to dishes.
When I’m feeling a little extra hungry, I love to enjoy a big bowl with a hunk of homemade cornbread for dunking!
How To Make This Black Bean Sweet Potato Soup
Full details on how to make this black bean and sweet potato soup are in the recipe card below, but here are the basics:
- In a pot, cook onion in a little olive oil until softened.
- Add garlic, chipotle peppers, jalapeno, chili powder and oregano and cook for a couple of minutes.
- Stir in beans, sweet potatoes, salt and pepper. Pour in veggie broth, bring to a boil (then reduce to a simmer), cover and cook until sweet potato is fork-tender.
- Remove about 2 cups of soup and blend with an immersion blender.
- Pour creamy mixture back into the soup, stirring in.
- Stir in corn and cook until warmed through, then stir in lime juice.
Do I Have To Blend the Soup?
The blended soup adds a little creaminess and body to the soup.
However, if you want to skip this, that’s okay.
If you don’t have an immersion blender and you still want to blend some of the soup, no worries!
Simply remove some of the beans and sweet potato, place in bowl and mash with a potato masher before adding back to the pot.
Avocado Lime Crema
This avocado crema is basically Greek yogurt (or sour cream), lime, cilantro, avocado, salt and pepper.
It’s refreshing and delicious. Plus, its adds a lovely creaminess and cooling effect to the heat from the soup.
This soup, on its own, is dairy free. If you don’t want to garnish with crema, that’s okay too!
Yummy Garnish Ideas
Besides the avocado lime crema, this black bean sweet potato soup is delicious with any of these garnish ideas:
- Sliced jalapeno
- Sliced green onion
- Chopped cilantro
- Crumbled feta cheese or queso fresco
- Homemade tortilla chips crushed up
Tips for Making This Recipe
- For less spice, reduce the chipotle peppers and/or omit the jalapeno pepper.
- Use store-bought veggie broth or make your own homemade veggie broth!
- Frozen, canned, or fresh corn works in this recipe. If using fresh, you may have to cook a little longer.
- Add more than a cup of corn, if you wish, for an extra hearty soup.
- If you don’t want to mess around making crema, you can simply dollop your black bean sweet potato soup with some plain yogurt (dairy or non dairy) or sour cream.
More Yummy Soup Recipes
If you make this easy black bean soup, be sure to leave a comment below!
This black bean sweet potato soup was originally published in January 2017 but has been updated.
Black Bean Sweet Potato Soup
Ingredients
Black Bean Sweet Potato Soup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped (or to taste)
- 1 jalapeno pepper, minced (remove ribs and seeds for less spice, if desired)
- ½ tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 (19-ounce) cans no salt added black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes (about 4 cups)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 1 heaping cup frozen or canned corn kernels, drained
- 1 tablespoon lime juice, from about ½ a lime
- Sliced jalapeno pepper, garnish to taste (optional)
- Sliced green onion, garnish to taste (optional)
- Chopped cilantro, garnish to taste (optional)
Avocado Lime Crema
- ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 1 small bunch cilantro, about ½ cup
- ½ avocado, pitted and peeled
- 2 tablespoons lime juice, from about 1 lime
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- pinch freshly ground black pepper
- milk or almond milk, approximately 1 to 2 tablespoons (if needed) to thin the crema
Instructions
Black Bean Sweet Potato Soup
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. (I used an enameled cast-iron Dutch oven.)
- Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic, chipotle peppers, jalapeno, chili powder and oregano. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in beans, sweet potatoes, salt and black pepper. Stir in vegetable broth.
- Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat (to about medium-low) to maintain a simmer. Cover and cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until sweet potato is tender.
- Optional: Remove about 2 cups of soup, place into a heat-safe container and carefully blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Pour back into pot of soup, stirring in.Note: If you don't have an immersion blender, you can mash with a potato masher.
- Stir in corn and warm through, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Stir in lime juice.
- To serve, divide the soup into bowls and garnish (if desired) with jalapeno, green onion and cilantro. Dollop over avocado lime crema. Enjoy! Serves 4 to 5 large servings or 6 smaller side servings.
Avocado Lime Crema
- Combine all avocado lime crema ingredients in a mini food processor (except milk). Process until combined. If you want a looser or thinner consistency, blend in some milk until you've reached your desired consistency. Dollop over black bean sweet potato soup.
A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.
© Girl Heart Food Inc. Photographs and content are copyright protected.
Tried this recipe?
If you do make this recipe, thank you!! It would mean so much if you could leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed it, and it helps other readers too!
annie@ciaochowbambina
I happen to have a huge bag of sweet potatoes sitting in pantry (thank you Costco), and, now, a reason to use some! Bingo! Thanks, friend! This looks amazing!! XO
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Yay! Thanks Annie! Hope you love this one as much as we do. 🙂 XO
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen
This is just a big bowl of comfort! I love anything with sweet potatoes so I know I’d adore this. I can’t wait to try it!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Totally! Thank you Kelsie! Hope you enjoy 🙂
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen
Would be a total hit at our house Dawn. A meal in a bowl. Love the sweet potatoes. I’m always trying to add them to recipes, so I’ll need to make a pot soon! Pinned!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Woo hoo! Thanks Mary Ann! Enjoy 🙂
Muna Kenny
Oh my! Looks like this soup is the answer to my cold. How I wish I can have some right now. 🙂
Girl Heart Food
Thanks so much! Hope you feel better soon 🙂
Agness of Run Agness Run
This is one of the greatest soups I have tried, Dawn! I could eat it every day!
Girl Heart Food
That just made my day, Agness! So happy to hear! Thanks so very much 🙂
Jessica @ A Kitchen Addiction
This soup looks like my kind of comfort food! Perfect for these chilly winter evenings!
Girl Heart Food
Definitely! Thanks so much, Jessica, for stopping by 🙂
Michelle | The Secret Ingredient Is
Ahh I’ve been on such a big sweet potato kick lately – so this soup comes at the most perfect time! That avocado cilantro crema, um HELLO. can I smother that on everything please?!
Girl Heart Food
Yay! Thanks Michelle! I can’t blame ya….that avocado cilantro crema would probably be delicious on a shoe, lol 😀
cakespy
Storm chips = never heard it but I instantly understood and loved it. I also love this recipe!! All of the things I love in the winter, all in one delicious bowl!
Girl Heart Food
Thanks so much for the kind words and for stopping by! Hope you have a great week 🙂
Karen (Back Road Journal)
No more snowstorms for us now that we’ve moved to Florida but I’d still make your delicious sounding soup. 🙂
Girl Heart Food
Thanks Karen….storm or no storm, it’s delicious 😉 Have a wonderful weekend!
karrie @ Tasty Ever After
Winter storms are awesome on the weekend when there’s nothing to do but eating and drink and play video games! lol! I know those storm chips because J got me a bag of them 2 Christmases ago when he went up north to visit a client. They are so good and I even wrote about them in a blog post. You gotta find a bag of them for yourself and also grab a bag (or two) for me. I’ll send you a FedEx mailing label. Thanks bestie 😉
Now about this soup. Yes to black beans and sweet potatoes. Yes to avocado cilantro crema. Yes to extra thai chilies and chipotles!!!!!! Keeping this recipe an making next week 🙂
Girl Heart Food
So so true!! The best 😀 I remember you talking about the ‘storm’ chips and now around here it has evolved so that every time we have a storm, it’s not just that brand…any kind of chip or cheezie goes. The local news station even had people sending in pics of their storm food, lol!! Crazy, isn’t it?? I will happily send you some chips, but you could always visit and there will be lots here waiting for ya 😉 Thanks bestie! Hope you like the soup! XOXO
Miriam - londonkitchendiaries.com
This is just the best advice I ever read on how to prepare for a storm – chocolate, wine and chips, I will remember this or better, stock up right now just in case 🙂 Cold days are just calling for comfort food and I love everything with beans and avocado – this recipe is just right up my alley!
Girl Heart Food
Isn’t it, though? You better, indeed, stock up ’cause you wouldn’t want to run out, especially wine, lol 😀 Thanks so much, Miriam!
Nicoletta @sugarlovespices
Chips, chocolate, and wine for me too, yay! Especially on a stormy night. But also give me bowls of pure comfort food like this one! Black beans are my favorite, sweet potato is another favorite and that avocado cilantro crema on top? So so yummy! Pinned it!
Girl Heart Food
Food like this almost makes me wish that there was more snow on the way….almost 😉 Thanks so much for the sweet comment and Pin, Nicoletta….appreciate it!!
Kevin | Keviniscooking
Like Rachel said, San Diego has been pelted with hail and rains for several weeks now and it’s great. Though I do not enjoy the repairs to my fence and a leak found in a guest room window where I shoot videos. Alas, coming in from the cold to eat this would suit me just fine! Love that avocado crema action! Looks amazing to me. 🙂
Girl Heart Food
We have freezing rain in the forecast for tonight/tomorrow so that will be lovely on top of all the snow #notreally. Oh, well, winter, right? Unfortunate about your damage! Hopefully, you’ll get it repaired quickly! Thanks, Kevin, for the kind words!
Gingi Freeman
This looks amazing, and your plating skills are just awesome! Seriously making me hungry! Thanks for sharing! <3
Girl Heart Food
Thanks for the lovely comment and for stopping by, Gingi!
Rachel @ Bakerita
We’ve been having stormy weather too and this soup looks like the perfect thing to warm me right up! Looks so delicious, especially with that swirl of cilantro crema on top!
Girl Heart Food
Thanks so much, Rachel! At least the stormy weather forces us to stay inside in the cozy warm, right? Hope you’re having a great week!